UNITED NATIONS, Oct. 19 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations and humanitarian partners are providing shelter, food and non-food items and drinking water to thousands of people who were displaced by renewed fighting in Yemen, a UN spokesman said on Monday.

"Our humanitarian colleagues tell us the situation continues to worsen as clashes surge in Hodeidah, Taiz and elsewhere," said Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

More than 8,000 people have been displaced in October due to the recent escalation in violence, he said.

Against this backdrop, COVID-19 continues to spread unchecked across Yemen. In parallel, the threat of hunger for millions is on the rise as food prices are 140 percent higher than the average prices before the conflict, Dujarric told a daily press briefing.

Some 20 million people are food insecure, including nearly 10 million people in acute food insecurity. Some 2 million children require treatment for acute malnutrition, of which 360,000 are at risk of dying without treatment, he said.

Yemen has a population of nearly 30 million, according to UN statistics.

The lack of funding is crippling humanitarian operations in the country. Sixteen of the United Nations' 41 major programs have already been reduced or shut down; more will close or reduce services by the end of the year unless additional funding is received, he said.

To date, the world body's Yemen humanitarian response plan is only 42 percent funded, the lowest level ever so late in the year. He called on donors to pay outstanding pledges and increase support. Enditem

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